Rotary valve operated internal combustion engine



a, 1940., c. MQNLEQNE ROTARY VALVE OPERATED INTERNAL'COMBUSTION ENGINEFiled June 6l, 1939 s' 7" u lll/Ill Patented Nov.4 19,' 194() ROTARYVALVE PERATED INTERNAL' OOMBUSTION ENGINE Carlo Monleone, Lugano,Switzerland Application June e, 1939, serial No. 277,703 In SwitzerlandSeptember 28, 1938 scisma' (ci. 12e-sor A This invention relatestorotary valve operated internal combustion engines wherein the valve body`is cylindrical and foriacilitating the heat exchange a plurality ofheat conducting rings arel d provided between the valve body andavsleeve surrounding this body,l which rings are inserted in the valvebody and bear against the sleeve from within.

This arrangement allows for the rotary valve lo and the'surroundingsleeve to expand entirely unhindered.

In the accompanying drawing an embodiment of the inventionis illustratedby way of example only, in which ,15 Fig. l is a vertical section of thecylinder head and the rotary valve 4of an internal combustion engineembodying the invention Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the sleevesurvalve coincides with the axis of the cylinder. The

sleeve is slightly spaced from the valve body so 3o as to be expansibleindependently of the valve body. 1

In the rotary valve lI a 'hollow space I is proa vided which forms thecombustin chamber and liares downwardly toward. the cylinder 'space 535.J and sidewardly toward the seat of the 'sleeve '3 Vsurrounding therotary valve or briefly the valve sleeve. Thecircumferential aperture ofthe body of the rotary valve corresponds to the port open.. ing 6 ofthesleeve l3. ',l'hrough this circumferen- 0 tial aperture the combustionchamber and thus the entire cylinderspace are successivelyvput incommunication with .the exhaust pipe 1, the admission pipe 8 and thewell 9 of the spark plug or injection orifice, which-is advantageouslyar- 45 ranged in the cylinder'lieadjin which way the whole working cycleis completed. This is eiiected byl deriving the drive oi?` the rotaryvalve I from :the crank shaft of the internal combustion engine by meansof a bevel gear drive 22, v23, a

50 vertical transmission shaft 2|, and two intermeshing spur gears 2l,25. sp1- ing 26 )urges the rotary valve constantly againstits seat.that'is,

the innersurface l of the cylinder head, with slight pressure (Fig. 4).I

y 5 This surface In, which is circular, bears against about 70 to 85and=e the] outer end surfaceV of the valve body, from the centralportion of which extends the driving axle I-I on which the spur gearwheel 24 is mounted and said surface serves as a thrust bearing for thetransmission of the axial component 'of n the combustion pressure to thecylinder head, while at the same time the exchange of heat between therotary valve and the cylinder head takes place at the surface Il).

The valve sleeve 3 functions asa sealing mem- 10 ber by exerting aslight pressure on theseat of its outer sliding surface by inherentspring action. The sleeve` 3 is of y hollow cylindrical shapeandtheopening 6 in its wall serves for theadmission and'discharge of thegases. This 15 opening is bordered at 'the margins of the sleeve aboveand below by two tongues I2 and the sleeve is split at the forward endsof these tongues regardingthe direction of rotation of the sleevev Thetwo splits I3 ofthe sleeve communicating@ with the opening 6 areinclined to the genera--v trix of the cylindrical sliding surface of thesleeve at a certain oblique angle considering the direction of rotationof the sleeve,y in such a way, as to prevent the lubricating oil fromdischargv215 ing in thelaxial direction by the conveying action exertedon the oil by the helically inclined splits 'during the rotationalmovement of the sleeve. Short grooves I4 arrangedin the slidingsurfaceof the sleeve serve for the same purpose. At each end of the'sleeve a row of grooves is pro- 4 vided. 'I'he grooves are inclined tothe genera--I trix of the sliding suri ce at angles ranging from tendinwardly from the respective marginal po ion oi said surface andrearwardly considering the direction of rotation of the sleeve, so as toexert pressure on the liquid lubricant in a direction away ufrom themargins ftoward the middle of the slidingsuriace. The splits I3 of thesleeve'extend at the same inclina-v 46 'i communicating with the oilgroves 'as well as the.. spark plug well vand the. guide brl f drivingstud I9- for the sleeve are all turned into the 55 picture plane of Fig.1 in order to make these parts more plainly visible.

The actual relative positions of these parts are shown in Fig. 3. Thelubricating oil supply and discharge `passages I6 and I1, respectively,are arranged between the gas admission and gas exhaust pipes, as clearlyshown in Fig. 3. This arrangement results in fact that the splits of thesleeve wipe past the oil grooves only when the pressure in the cylinderis' zero or is very small. Consequently, detrimental pressures areprevented from arising in the oil conduits.

Between the rotary valve and the sleeve surrounding the same sufficientclearance is provided to allow independent relative expansion. Theexchange of heat between the rotary valve, the sleeve and the cylinderhead takes place through the heat conducting rings I8 inserted incut-out recesses in the body of the rotary valve and bearing on theinner surface of the valve sleeve. These rings, which are made of amaterial of a high heat conductivity, serve for facilitating theexchange of heat between the rotary valve and sealing sleeve and. thenceto the cooling surfaces of the cylinder. Furthermore, these rings havethe effect of relieving the valve sleeve from the combustion pressuresto a certain extent and from the consequent bearing pressure between thevalve sleeve and the seat thereof in the cylinder head. Therefore, thisbearing pressure can be influenced 'to a considerable extent byappropriately choosing the cross section of the heat conducting rings.The heat conducting' rings for exerting pressure and for conducting heatserve in addition a third important purpose, namely, of providingefficient protection against overheating of the valve sleeve.

yfis is evident from the drawing, the rings cov- Ler a large part oftheinner cylindrical surface 'I'he outer heat conducting rings bear againstthe valve sleeve over all .the inner circumference thereof and arepositioned exactly behind the tongues. The inner heat conducting ringsare shortened in agreement with the circumferential opening of thesleeve, that is, they are made to bear 'against' the circumference ofthe valve sleeve'only along a portion thereof.

'I'he sleeve surrounding the valve is imparted rotational movement byonly one stud I9 which is housed in the valve body. This stud fitsexactly in a mating bore 2U extending into the wall ofthe valve sleeveonly for a part of its thickness and lying in the transverse planepassing through the middle of the sleeve between the margins thereof.

This arrangement alone makes it possible for the rotary valve and thesleeve surrounding the same to expand entirely unhindered and to obtainperfectly symmetrical and tangential guidance for the sleeve by thestud, due to the stud engaging with the sleeve at a point in closeprox-I imity to the sliding surface of the sleeve.

) I claim:

1. In a rotary valve operated internal combustion engine, a cylinderhaving an inlet port and an exhaust port, a rotary Vvalve comprising acylindrical bodyhaving an opening serving as the combustion space of theengine, arranged in the head of said engine cylinder for cooperationwith the inlet and exhaust ports thereof, a ported sleeve surroundingsaid valve body, in'radially spaced relation to said valve body androtationally fixed relative thereto, and having an outer slidingsurface, said valve body having annular recesses formed therein, annularheat conducting members for facilitating the exchange of heat betweensaid valve body and said valve sleeve inserted in said recesses of saidvalve body and closely bearing against the .inside of said valve sleeve,said heat conducting members having large outer bearing surfaces so astocontact said sleeve over a substantial portion of the inside thereof,for materially reducing the area of lsaid. inside contacted by hotcombustion gases fo'r preventing said sleeve from becoming excessivelyhot.

2. In a rotary valve operated internal combustion engine, a cylinderhaving an inlet port and an exhaust port, a rotary valve having acylindrical body, arranged in the head end of said engine cylinder forcooperation with the inlet and exhaust ports of said cylinder, a portedsleeve surrounding said valve body in radially spaced and rotationallyfixed relation to said body. and having an outer sliding surface, saidvalve body-having recesses formed therein for accommodating heatconducting members, heat conducting members for facilitating theexchange of heat between said valve body and said valve sleeve insertedin said recesses of said valve body and bearing against the inside ofsaid valve sleeve, overla substantial portion of said inside, one ofsaid members above said valve port and one below said port being annularand situated on said inside of vsaid valve sleeve and bearing againstsaid sleeve over all the inner sleeve circumference, and mating bearingsurfaces provided on said portion of said inside, for materiallyreducing the area of said inside contacted 4by hot combustion gases forpreventing said sleeve from becoming excessively hot.

3. In a rotary valve operated internal combustion engine, a cylinderhaving an'inlet port and an exhaust port, a rotary valve having acylindrical'body, arranged in Ithe head end of said engine cylinder forcooperation withthe inletV and exhaust ports of said cylinder, a portedsleeve surrounding said valve body in radially spaced and rotationallyfixed relation to said body and members situated between said valve bodyand area of said inside contacting with hot combus-- tion gases forpreventing said sleeve from becoming excessively hot.

4. In a rotary valve operated internal combustion engine, a cylinde.having ,a central lateral inlet port and a central\lateral exhaust portin its head end, a rotary valve having a cylindrical dll having acylindrical body,

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inside and remaining stationary 15, spaced and xed Totational vvalvebody, arranged in the head end of said engine cylinder lor cooperationwith the inlet and elthaust ports of said cylinder, a portedsleevesurrounding said relation thereto and radially spacedtherefrom andhaving an outer cylindrical slidingsurface provided towards the marginsthereof with a row or short grooves providing oil-wiping means, saidgrooves being inclined to the generatrix ol the cylinder suriace so asto extend from (the marninfal portions of said sleeve inwardly andrearvvardly considered with respect to the direction oi rotation oi saidvalve, for exerting pressure on the liquid lubricant in a direction awayfrom said margins toward the middle'oi said sliding suriace, annularheat conducting members for facilitating the exchange of heat betweensaid valve hody and said valve sleeve inserted in said valve hody i'orsaid members having large outer hearlne suriaces for hearing against theinside of said valve sleeve over a substantial portion oi said relativethereto,

and mating hearing surfaces provided on said portion oi said inside, formaterially reducing the area oi said inside contacted by hot combustionpases lor preventing said sleeve from becoming elicessively hot. ,i li.lin a rotary valve operated internal comhustionengine, a cylinder havingcharging and eirhaust ports near its head end, a rotary valve arrangedin the head end oi said cylinder for cooperation with the et and exhaustports' ofvsaid cylinder, a split sleeve surrounding said valve body inradially relation thereto, said sleeve having a lateral portintermediate its ends,

and having an outer cylindrical sliding surface provided towards themargins thereof `with a row oi1 short grooves providing oil-wipingmeans, said nrooves being inclined relative to the generatrix oi" thecylinder surfaceat angles between 70 and t5 so as to extend from Vthemarginal portions oi said sleeve inwardly and rearwardly consideredvalve body -in fixed rotationall sliding surface,

with respect to the direction ofrotation of said valve, two marginaltongues on said sleeve bordering the port opening and extendingrearwardly from two splits of said sleeve considered with respect to thedirection oi rotation oi said valve, 5 said splits communicating withsaid opening and being inclined in parallelism with said grooves, forexerting pressure on the liquid lubricant in conjunction with saidgrooves in a direction away from said margins towards the middle oi saidsaid valve loody having annular recesses formed therein, annular heatconducting members ior facilitating the exchange of heat between saidvalve hody and said valve sleeve inserted in said valve hody recessesand bearing against theinside oi said valve sleeve, said heat conductingmembers having large ,outer surfaces so. as to contact said sleeve overa material portion oi the inside thereof, and matinghearing. surfacesprovided on. said portion yof said inside, for materially reducing thearea-ot' said inside contacted by hot combustion gases lor preventingjsaid sleeve from becoming excessively hot.

6. In a rotary valve operated internal combustion engine, a cylinderhaving inlet and exhaust ports, a, rotaryvalve comprising a cylindricalbody having an opening serving' as the combustion space oi the engine,arranged in the head of said engine cylinder ior cooperation with theinlet and exhaust ports thereof, a resiliently 30 expansible portedsleeve surrounding said valve 4loody in radially spaced and rotationallyfixed -relation thereto, said valve loody having annular body andsleeve. Y

CARLO MONLEONE.

